It is not at all surprising that orchids are among the most beautiful and popular indoor plants in the world. They score with their magnificent flowers and delicate colors and turn into a special eye-catcher in every room, no matter where they are. The orchids bring an exotic flair and are perfect for both table decoration and room decoration. In short, these flowers look good anywhere and easily attract everyone’s attention. However, one must not forget that there is a lot of orchid care behind this exotic beauty. Orchids actually have a reputation for being difficult houseplants to grow. And that’s probably true! They need a special potting mix and a certain amount of irrigation water to thrive. Today we want to show you how to properly care for beautiful orchids, so that you can admire their blooms longer in your own four walls. Here are the most important tips for the best orchid care.
Do you want to learn how to properly care for your orchids?
Orchids are beautiful but very demanding houseplants
Although orchids are very popular as indoor plants, they place high demands on their keepers. Only those who take good care of these exotic plants can enjoy their beautiful flowers in soft colors. Most orchids are tropical plants, but that doesn’t mean they need the humidity of the rainforest to thrive in your home. However, the dry room atmosphere can be a challenge for you when caring for orchids. Orchids may have different needs than most of your plants, but if you know the basics of caring for them, they can also be easy-care houseplants. One thing is certain – they are absolutely unique in their presence. They also thank you in a nice way for your effort. If you have never tried growing an orchid at home, then it’s time for it.
Thanks to the following tips for proper orchid care, you will definitely be able to see these exotic houseplants every day.
The orchid family is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
These are perennial houseplants with beautiful flowers.
Proper care for orchids: what do these flowers need to thrive?
Botanists know an enormous number of species of orchids. There are said to be around 30,000 worldwide. These are perennial plants that, with proper care, will display their magnificent blooms year-round. The most popular type of orchid is probably this Phalaenopsis or known in German as the moth orchid. It is also the best-selling potted plant in Europe. This type of orchid is also fairly easy to care for and blooms naturally. However, this is not the case with all types of orchids. However, in order to properly care for orchids, you need to keep a few things in mind. We have listed the most important things about proper orchid care for you:
With the right orchid care, you will admire this elegance and exoticism in your home every day.
1) Location, planter and substrate:
Choose a sunny location at home for your Phalaenopsis, but where the sun does not shine directly in summer. The beautiful flower does not tolerate strong sunlight. In winter you can put it in a south-facing window, where it will definitely feel at home. A moderate room temperature is quite comfortable for orchids, for example around 22 degrees C. However, it must not be cooler than 12 degrees in the room. The right planter is also crucial for every orchid to thrive. Transparent flower pots made of glass or plastic are recommended. In this way you can avoid any waterlogging in the pot, as this is harmful to the roots of the orchids. However, you never have to fill the flower pot with normal potting soil! Only use special soil for orchids, which you can find in any flower shop. This is actually a substrate with a structure similar to bark mulch and it is very permeable to air and water.
The be-all and end-all of orchid care is correct watering.
2) Caring for orchids properly: How often should you water and fertilize the exotic species?
This is an important question, because most mistakes in orchid care come from the wrong watering. On the one hand, you do not have to water the plant too often, but know its needs well. Watering once a week is good, but only when the substrate is dry to the touch. You may only have to use low-lime water. It is best to only use rainwater or boiled water to water the orchids, as these beautiful indoor plants are sensitive to limescale. They suffer from hard water, but also from waterlogging. If the orchid soil is too moist, the roots will rot and gradually die. The leaves become soft and then wither. With such signs, you must definitely reduce the watering and repot the flower. Otherwise the plant will soon die. For weekly fertilizing, it is best to use liquid orchid fertilizer, which is dosed very low and can again be found in flower shops.
Caring for orchids properly: only water the attractive exotic species in the morning, once a week.
When watering, only use low-lime water, for example rainwater or boiled water.
Caution! The orchids are very sensitive to lime!
3) More tips for caring for orchids properly
Here are a few more important care tips at a glance.
- Faded flower stalks need to be trimmed and removed regularly, but only when they are completely dry.
- You can trim the stem of the orchid a bit, this will encourage rebloom.
- Caring for orchids properly also includes repotting them once every two years. Usually the plants do not need a larger pot, but new soil. If the old orchid soil stores too much water, it must be renewed, otherwise waterlogging will occur! This is known to be deadly for the roots of the beautiful plant. When repotting you can also cut off all dead roots and also examine the plant for pests.
When propagating or repotting, all you need is a new pot and orchid soil for the new plant!
- Caring for orchids properly multiply or repot new pot new orchid soil
- The orchids form aerial roots that protrude from the flower pot. These should not be cut because the plant absorbs moisture through them.
- Repotting is also used to propagate orchids. If your plant has buds, it’s time to separate them. But you can only do this when your orchid is not blooming!
It is important to care for orchids properly: When repotting, you have to cut off withered roots!
Despite the flowering season, this plant is in dire need of repotting because of rotten roots!
The orchids have aerial roots, these must not be cut off!
With proper orchid care, you will have this exotic beauty in front of your eyes every day at home.
The orchid flowers are really unique!
A treat for the eyes and soul!